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  4. J11: Bingo Vowel Song

J11: Bingo Vowel Song

  1. Overview
  2. Materials
  3. Activity
  4. Extension
  1. Variation
  2. Small Groups
  3. Questions and Answers

1. Overview

Use a popular children’s song (“Bingo”) and a funny picture to help your child remember the short vowel sounds. This will reinforce what your child learned in the previous activity.
bingo vowel song
J11: Bingo Vowel Song
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2. Materials

Print out the vowel sound cards and picture cards and the Egbert picture, preferably on sturdy card-stock paper. Cut apart the sound and picture cards. Print out the song lyrics, but these are for the adult’s reference only. The song is sung to the tune of the children’s song “Bingo.” ↑ Top

3. Activity

Video: How to play Bingo Vowel Song
Lay out the vowel sound cards, in order from left to right, in front of your child. Remind him that he learned a song about smart letters (vowels) and their names. Review that first part of the song with him.
Adult: You learned part of the smart letters song a while ago. Let’s sing it again, and then I’ll teach you the rest of the song!
Lead your child in singing the song. Have him point to each sound card as you both say the vowel’s name.
Adult: A – E – I – O – U, A – E – I – O – U, A – E – I – O – U, Are the NAMES of five smart letters! Why, why, why, why, why? Why, why, why, why, why? Why, why, why, why, why? Why are vowels smart letters? ‘Cause vowels can say their NAME and a sound. ‘Cause vowels can say their name AND a sound. ‘Cause vowels can say their name and a SOUND. That’s why they’re smart letters!
Now teach your child the next part of the song, which is about the vowel sounds.
Adult: What, what, what, what, what? What, what, what, what, what? What, what, what, what, what? Are the SOUNDS of those smart letters? Aaa, ehh, iii, ahhh, uh, Aaa, ehh, iii, ahhh, uh, Aaa, ehh, iii, ahhh, uh, Are the SOUNDS of these smart letters!
Put out the vowel picture cards underneath their respective sound cards. Remind your child of the hand gestures that go with each vowel sound. Then sing the last verse again with those hand gestures. NOTE: Sing the song until your child has a firm understanding of all five vowel sounds and can match the sounds with the correct letters. The second reinforcement tool is a funny picture of an egg named Egbert.
Adult: Good work! Now I’m going to give you a present. [Bring out the Egbert picture.]             This is Egbert. He is an egg in odd underpants. Don’t those underpants look odd to you? Listen to me stretch what he is: aaan eeegg iiin ooodd uuunderpants. You say it with me: who is Egbert? Child: aaan eeegg iiin ooodd uuunderpants. Adult: Again. Child: aaan eeegg iiin ooodd uuunderpants. Adult: Those words about who Egbert is will help you remember the sounds that the five smart letters say. Tell me again: who is Egbert? Child: aaan eeegg iiin ooodd uuunderpants. Adult: Good job. We’ll keep Egbert around to help remind us of the five smart letter sounds.
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4. Extension

Sing the song, but omit one of the vowel sounds. For example, “aaa – ehh –     – ahhh – uh.” The child then has to name the missing vowel sound and point to the right sound card. For a greater challenge, omit two of the vowel sounds. ↑ Top

5. Variation

This is a great activity to do outside the home or classroom, such as running errands or walking to recess. ↑ Top

6. Small Groups (2-5 children)

Lesson Objective: Using a picture, mnemonic, and a song as aids, children will be able to produce the short vowel sounds that correspond to the five major written vowel letters. GELDS (Georgia Early Learning & Development Standards): CLL7.4a Georgia Standards of Excellence: ELAGSEKRF3.b Common Core State Standards: CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RF.K.3.B Additional Materials:
  • optional: pocket chart (for displaying vowel sound cards, picture cards and Egbert)
Adaptation: Read the main activity, watch the video, and follow the instructions above, with the following changes: Display the vowel sound cards. Name the vowels, and review each sound. Sing the Bingo song to review vowel names. Then display the vowel picture cards and review the gestures and short vowel sound for each one. Practice the new Bingo song using the vowel sounds. Display the Egbert picture. Have the children repeat “aaan eeegg iiin ooodd uuunderpants.” Each time ask, “Who is Egbert?” Hold up the vowel letter cards in order, one at a time, and call on members of the group to answer with the matching word in the Egbert mnemonic, one word at a time — “aaan” … “eeegg” … “iiin” … “ooodd” … “uuunderpants.” Then have the group respond in unison as you hold up each vowel letter card: “aaan…eeegg…iiin…ooodd…uuunderpants.” Reinforcement:
  • Place the vowel sound cards on the pocket chart or where the children can easily see them. Have the children close their eyes, while one child “steals” a card. Close the gap between the letters and ask, “What’s missing? What sound that helps reminds us of who Egbert is has disappeared?”
  • Transition Strategy: Show a vowel letter sound card. Ask the child to make the gesture and say the sound. Then the child may line up, wash hands, choose a center, etc.
Use this Reinforcement at Home form to tell parents and guardians how they can reinforce lessons outside the classroom. ↑ Top

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